Delhi: NDMC's two-day ‘Mango Festival' enthrals diplomats, fruit lovers
NDMC Vice Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal said the festival provides a unique platform for cultural exchange and culinary enjoyment.
Chahal said that under the visionary goals of Viksit Bharat @2047, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NDMC Mango Festival served as a platform for empowering farmers, promoting agri-innovation, and celebrating India's agricultural diversity.
By bringing together over 500 mango varieties from across the nation, and providing direct exposure to farmer societies, research institutes, and vendors, the festival embodied the spirit of self-reliant India, he said.
A representative of the research institute has said that in the next few days, a special breed of mango will be developed and will be named as 'Sindoor' in memory of Operation Sindoor, he said.
Over 300 varieties of mangoes by two government research institutes and the growers/farmer societies were on display at the festival.
'Khaas-ye-Aam' mango festival started at the Palika Services Officers' Institute (PSOI), Vinay Marg, Chanakyapuri, and offered free entry to visitors.
PSOI Secretary Krishan Kumar said that 25 mango sellers/vendors will set up their stalls for selling mango products at the festival.
Some of the varieties of mangoes displayed include – Arunika, Ambika, Sansesan, Tomy, Fajali, Langra, Lucknowa Safeda, Kachcha Meetha, Dudhiya Gola, Matka Gola, Safeda Amin, Desi Kism, Desi Gola, Desi Tuharu, Munjar Amin, Kism Azad, Gulab Khas, Gulab Jamun, Dashari, Amrpali, Hathi jhool, Malika and Chausa.
Participants and government research institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), Lucknow, displayed around 250 varieties with leading varieties like Dashehari, Langra, Chausa, Mallika, Amrapali, Amiga, Arunica and several other varieties and hybrids.
ICAR - Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, displayed its own varieties, including Pusa Lalima, one of the colour varieties.
A total of 10 farmers' societies and individuals displayed more than 100 varieties on each stall in the Mango Festival, said Krishan Kumar.
He said there was a competition between participants on the different varieties of each farmer, such as Dashehari, Mallika, Amrapali, Chausa, Ramkela and mixed fruits.
There were various entertainment and recreational activities for visitors and children.
A major attraction of the Mango Festival for the visitors was 10 stalls of mango products, including preparations, recipes, products, juices, shakes, chutney, murabba, pickles, which will be represented by farmers, cooperative societies, vendors and leading restaurants and hotels.
The Mango Festival is a part of NDMC's continuing efforts to promote cultural and seasonal festivities that bring communities together and celebrate India's rich agricultural diversity, said Chahal.
The event offered an exciting opportunity to sample and purchase a wide array of mango varieties sourced from across the country, along with value-added mango-based products such as juices, pickles, pulps, and desserts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
House panel expresses concern over 30% staff gaps in Krishi Vigyan Kendras
A parliamentary committee on agriculture has expressed concerns over the 30 per cent staff shortage in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), which is 'affecting their core functions'. KVKs are the frontline of agriculture extension and are run by a plethora of organisations, starting from state agriculture universities (SAUs) to even social organisations and state governments. Recently, the Union agriculture ministry along with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and other associations undertook a fortnight-long campaign to understand and address farmers' issues and their concerns. The over 730 KVKs across the country were at the forefront of the campaign. In its report on 'Promotion of Climate Resilient Agriculture, and Natural & Organic Farming through KVKs', which was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Parliamentary Committee on Estimates said that the agriculture ministry's decision to increase staff strength from 16 to 20 per KVK is a welcome step but it will be ineffective without prompt recruitment. The panel said that the ministry should urgently address disparities in service conditions across KVKs by revising the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for non-ICAR KVKs — especially those hosted by SAUs and other organisations — to align their service conditions and benefits with those of ICAR KVK employees. It also said that the agriculture ministry needs to chalk out a robust and consistent funding strategy with long-term vision for the development of KVKs. The committee said while the proposed one-time grant of ₹2,500 crore may provide some immediate relief, it cannot serve as a substitute for predictable annual funding, reflecting the evolving needs of KVKs. The report also said that the current level of financial support of ₹31,500-46,500 per hectare over three years is grossly inadequate for farmers to transition towards organic farming due to low yields and economic strain. It batted for increased direct benefit transfer (DBT) for organic farming and also for continued support for a longer period of time. The report said that due to budget constraints, only 151 out of 310 districts, which are highly and very highly vulnerable to climate change, have been selected for National Innovations in Climate Resistant Agriculture (NICRA) adaptation activities. While acknowledging the importance of natural farming (NF) as a chemical-free, sustainable practice promoted under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), the House panel underscored the need for a standardised yet adaptable protocol, and recommended expanding NF beyond the Ganga corridor to ecologically sensitive and degraded regions.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Income concerns, staff shortage hamper natural farming push: Parliamentary panel
Despite the government's efforts to scale up natural and climate-resilient farming, a parliamentary panel has flagged persistent income concerns among farmers, gaps in implementation, and staff shortages as key challenges that threaten long-term sustainability. The parliamentary Estimates Committee tabled its report in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. (Sansad TV) The parliamentary Estimates Committee, in a report tabled in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, observed that despite the government making significant strides in awareness programmes, 'financial security remains a significant barrier to the widespread adoption of Natural Farming (NF).' The committee noted that while financial aid of ₹31,500 to ₹46,500 per hectare over three years is a welcome move, it falls short in covering transition losses from chemical to organic farming. 'The ₹31,500 to ₹46,500 per hectare over three years, although a step in the right direction, might not be sufficient to fully alleviate the financial strain farmers experience during the first three to four years, a period in which yields tend to be lower and the economic burden heavier,' the report said. It called for 'a more robust and expanded' support system, and flagged the scarcity of bio-fertilisers as a key hurdle in replicating the Sikkim model of chemical-free cultivation. The committee praised government outreach to 11.37 lakh farmers and stakeholders through awareness drives but said the benefits of certification schemes like the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and Participatory Guarantee System (PGSIndia) remain underutilised due to poor farmer awareness. It also flagged budgetary constraints that have hit the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-led NICRA project, which promotes climate-resilient farming practices. It noted a lack of programme implementation in several districts that are at significant risk from climate change. 'Due to budget constraints, NICRA's adaptation activities have only been implemented in only 151 of 310 high-risk districts, leaving a large number of vulnerable areas unaddressed,' the panel said. It added that poor adoption of new seed varieties, low awareness, weak distribution, lack of coordination with states and missing large-scale assessments are hampering results. 'The Committee express their concern to note that so many regions are being neglected due to financial constraints, particularly when the very survival of agricultural livelihoods in these areas is at risk,' the report said. As Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) are being used to scale natural farming, the report said funding and staffing shortfalls persist. 'This staff shortfall is significantly impairing the KVKs' ability to effectively carry out their core functions,' it noted, citing 3,500 vacant posts. It also raised concerns about unequal service rules between ICAR and non-ICAR KVKs. 'The service conditions for employees in ICAR KVKs differ from those in non-ICAR KVKs, creating an unequal work environment,' the report said. The NMNF was approved by the Union Cabinet on November 25, 2024, as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to promote chemical-free farming using livestock and plant inputs. In Parliament, Union minister of state for agriculture Ramnath Thakur recently said more than 10 lakh farmers had joined the initiative.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Parliamentary panel flags 30% staff shortage in Krishi Vigyan Kendras
The panel said 30 per cent staff shortage in KVKs is hurting core functions and called for higher per hectare support and longer assistance for organic farming under DBT New Delhi A parliamentary committee on agriculture has expressed serious concerns over a 30 per cent staff shortage in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), which, according to the panel, is affecting their core functions. KVKs are the front-line institutions for agricultural extension and are run by a variety of organisations, including state agriculture universities, social organisations, and state governments. Recently, the Union Ministry of Agriculture, along with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and other associations, conducted a fortnight-long campaign to understand and address farmers' issues and concerns. Over 730 KVKs across the country were at the forefront of the campaign. The parliamentary panel on the promotion of climate-resilient agriculture and natural and organic farming through KVKs, in its report tabled in the Lok Sabha, said the agriculture ministry's plan to increase the sanctioned staff strength in each KVK from 16 to 20 is a welcome step, but would be ineffective without prompt recruitment. It recommended that the ministry urgently address disparities in service conditions across KVKs by revising the memorandum of understanding for non-ICAR KVKs, especially those hosted by state agriculture universities (SAUs) and other organisations, to align service conditions and benefits with those of ICAR KVK employees. The panel also urged the agriculture ministry to establish a robust and consistent funding strategy with a long-term vision for KVK development. It said that while the proposed one-time grant of ₹2,500 crore may offer immediate relief, it cannot substitute for predictable annual funding increases that reflect the evolving needs of KVKs. The report further stated that the current level of financial support of ₹31,500–46,500 per hectare over three years is grossly inadequate for farmers transitioning to organic farming, owing to low yields and financial strain. The panel recommended increasing the direct benefit transfer for organic farming and extending the duration of such support. It noted that due to budget constraints, only 151 of the 310 districts identified as highly and very highly vulnerable to climate change have been selected for adaptation activities under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) programme. On natural farming, the panel acknowledged its importance as a chemical-free, sustainable practice promoted under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF). It underscored the need for a standardised yet adaptable protocol and recommended expanding natural farming beyond the Ganga corridor to ecologically sensitive and degraded regions.
